Actor Humayun Saeed had to put in effort to get the part of Dr. Hasnat Khan in the Netflix series The Crown.
Actor Mohib Mirza, host of The Knock Knock Show, recently spoke with Saeed about his amazing journey to become the late Princess Diana’s love interest. Saeed shared his thoughts on the casting process, from auditions to selection, as well as his initial reservations about going through the audition procedure for an English series.
Saeed reassured Mirza that this was and should be the procedure all performers go through when he brought up the fact that “Humayun Saeed had to give an audition for The Crown,” as if it were anything unusual. He emphasized the value of auditions and clarified that casting directors typically use an actor’s performance in a scene to determine whether or not they are a good fit for a part.
When Saeed thought back on his emotions during the audition process, he acknowledged that he felt both nervous and excited. For him, the chance to try out for The Crown was an incredible experience as a fan of the program. He said that he was in shock that he was even being considered.
When I finished watching Season 4, I had no idea where Diana’s character journey in the narrative was going. Furthermore, I never imagined that The Crown Makers would cast a Pakistani actor in the role of Dr. Hasnat, even though he is a Pakistani. I had not even considered that possibility. That’s why I was thrilled when someone approached me. Subsequently, I was informed that I needed to attend an audition. At that moment, I thought, “Damn it!” Is it not evident from my appearance or my past performance that I meet the requirements?
Though Saeed was confident the casting directors had done their research before contacting him, he clarified that they were interested in seeing his appearance in the Dr. Hasnat role. Saeed showed honesty and dedication in his audition despite his initial reservations. He was then put on the shortlist.
“They were interested in how I seemed when I acted and spoke like him. After I completed the sequence they sent me, my agent informed me that four of the eight actors they had sought for the role—four from India and four from Pakistan—had been shortlisted. After that, they sent us another scene to do, which I did.
Following this, Saeed at last learned that he had been chosen to play Dr. Hasnat in The Crown, which was a huge career turning point.
Saeed’s journey from trying out for The Crown to playing Dr. Hasnat is proof of the value of auditioning and the chances that present themselves to performers who take on novel tasks.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.